Where To Buy Custom Keycaps?
Custom keycaps are a great way to personalize and add a unique touch to your keyboard. These keycaps are designed to replace the standard keys on your keyboard, and come in a variety of designs, colors, and materials. Some popular materials include ABS plastic, PBT plastic, and even wood or metal.
One of the most popular types of custom keycaps is the sculpted keycap. These keycaps are designed to fit the shape of your fingers, making typing more comfortable and reducing hand fatigue. They also come in a variety of colors, so you can match them to your keyboard or personal style.
Another popular type of custom keycap is the artisan keycap. These keycaps are handcrafted and often feature intricate designs and unique materials. They can be made from wood, resin, or even metal, and are often one-of-a-kind pieces.
Custom keycaps are a great way to personalize your keyboard and make it stand out. They can also be a great way to improve your typing experience by providing a more comfortable and ergonomic design. With so many options available, you’re sure to find the perfect custom keycaps to suit your needs and style.
Popular Websites to Buy Custom Keycaps
It is obvious that you can buy custom keycaps from the most popular websites like Amazon and Walmart. So, in this article I will include lesser known websites from where you can buy some great customized keycaps.
1- ETSY
Etsy is a lot like Amazon in terms of its huge community of sellers, except the type of keycaps that it offers is quite a bit different.
On this market, the sellers you come across will instead offer you gorgeous artisan keycaps, many of which are handmade to add a unique touch to your mechanical keyboard.
The price may be a bit higher considering it’s for individual caps, but it’s totally worth spending a little bit extra to have a Millenium Falcon as your Escape key – right?
2- Drop
Drop.com is an e-commerce website that specializes in selling high-quality mechanical keyboards and accessories, including keycaps.
The site offers a wide variety of keycaps, including those made from PBT (polybutylene terephthalate) and ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) plastic. PBT keycaps are generally considered to be of higher quality and have a more durable texture, while ABS keycaps are more common and have a smoother finish.
Drop.com offers keycaps in different colors, profiles, and designs, including those with backlit compatibility. Additionally, the site offers customization options, such as in-house printing and laser engraving, which allow customers to create personalized keycaps.
Some popular keycap sets offered by Drop.com include the GMK Laser, MT3 Devastation, and GMK Oblivion. Prices for keycaps on the site range from $30 to $120.
3- Kprepublic
Kprepublic.com is a website that specializes in keycaps for mechanical keyboards. They offer a wide variety of keycaps in different materials, colors, and designs.
Their keycaps are made from high-quality materials such as PBT, ABS, and resin, ensuring a durable and long-lasting product. They also have a wide range of colors and designs to choose from, including popular themes such as anime and gaming.
Additionally, they offer keycap sets for various keyboard layouts and sizes, making it easy to find the perfect keycaps for your keyboard. With competitive prices and fast shipping, Kprepublic is a great choice for anyone looking to customize their keyboard.
4- Pimpmykeyboard
PimpMyKeyboard.com is a website that offers a wide variety of keycaps for mechanical keyboards. They have a wide range of styles and designs, from classic solid colored keycaps to unique and colorful designs.
The keycaps are made from durable materials such as ABS and PBT plastic, and are compatible with most mechanical keyboard layouts. They also offer a variety of different profile options, such as OEM, Cherry MX, and SA profile keycaps.
PimpMyKeyboard.com also offers customization options, such as custom-designed keycaps and custom-molded keycaps. Overall, PimpMyKeyboard.com is a great resource for those looking to personalize their mechanical keyboard.
5- Mechgroupbuys
Mechgroupbuys.com offers a wide variety of high-quality keycaps for mechanical keyboards. Their selection includes popular brands such as GMK, Cherry, and SA, as well as unique designs and custom sets.
They offer keycaps in a variety of materials, including PBT, ABS, and silicone. Their keycaps are compatible with Cherry MX, Kailh, and other mechanical switches. Additionally, they offer a variety of accessories such as keycap pullers, switches, and stabilizers.
6- TechKeys
TechKeys.com offers a wide variety of keycaps for mechanical keyboards. Their selection includes popular brands such as Cherry MX, Topre, and Gateron, as well as custom designs from independent artists.
The keycaps are made from high-quality materials such as PBT plastic and ABS, ensuring durability and a smooth typing experience. TechKeys.com also offers keycap sets for specific keyboard layouts, such as the popular Cherry MX and ANSI layouts.
Additionally, they have a wide range of colors and designs to choose from, including retro, gaming, and custom designs.
7- WASDkeyboards
We have previously talked about several great options for buying custom mechanical keycaps, but what if you want to create your own unique design?
WASD offers a custom keycap designer tool that lets you choose the color, legends, and layout for your custom keycap set.
Additionally, they also have their own designs available for purchase if you’re not feeling particularly creative at the moment – everything you need in one place.
8- Keycapsets
Another great website to follow group buys on is keycapsets.com. Similar to mechgroupbuys and keycaplendar, it focuses on monitoring the start and end dates of group buys for keycap sets.
The website displays the remaining days of each group buy and provides a link to join the purchase. Many of the keycap sets can be found on forums like geekhack, which tend to have the most attractive designs.
9- Mechmarket
The subreddit mechmarket is a forum for buying and selling aftermarket keyboards and keycap sets. On this platform, you can purchase keycaps that have already completed the group buy phase and avoid the long waiting period of six to nine months.
However, it’s important to note that you may end up paying two or three times the original purchase price of the keycap sets. In the mechanical keyboard community, convenience comes at a high cost, but if you’re looking for an exclusive set of keycaps quickly, this is the place to go.
It’s not uncommon to spend $300 or more for a set of keycaps, but the advantage is that you can receive them from the seller within a few days.
Final Words
Acquiring keycaps can vary in cost and time depending on the quality you desire. Basic upgrades can be found easily and affordably on sites such as Amazon or Banggood.
Mid-range options can be found on websites such as Drop and mechanicalkeyboards.com. For more exclusive and costly keycap sets, sites such as mechgroupbuys, keycaplendar, and keycapsets offer the latest GMK keycaps, unique designs, and the finest quality.
If you want to avoid the group buy process and have no financial constraints, aftermarket sellers can be found on /r/mechmarket.
This information should assist you in finding the perfect keycap set within your budget.
FAQ
What Are Group Buys?
Group buys are a purchasing strategy in which a group of individuals come together to purchase a product or service at a discounted price. The discounted price is typically achieved by negotiating a bulk purchase with the supplier or manufacturer.
Group buys are common in industries such as automotive, electronics, and home improvement, and are often organized by online communities or forums.
Group purchases enable individuals to obtain exclusive keycap sets that are not readily accessible to the general public. If you are new to the hobby and desire a fully customized keyboard, group purchases are a fantastic option to acquire unique keycap sets.
Can You Put Custom Keycaps On Any Keyboard?
When buying custom keycaps, it is important to ensure compatibility with your keyboard’s switches and layout. While custom keycaps are available for various types of keyboards, not all keycaps will fit all mechanical switches.
For example, keycaps made for Cherry MX switches cannot be used on keyboards with ALPS switches. Additionally, the layout of your keyboard should also be taken into account, as space bars can come in different sizes depending on the layout.